The next day being the sabbath day, all the guests accompanied Mrs. Cartwright to the cathedral, (where the bishop was to preach) and sat in that lady's seat in the gallery. As soon as the service was over the party proceeded to inspect this grand and venerable pile.
"The cathedral of Chester was built," as the bishop informed the duchess, "during the reigns of Henry VI., VII., VIII." He observed that there was much to admire in the beautiful west end of the nave. "The window over the door is richly adorned with much tasteful tracery, and architrave of the door enriched with figures and other subjects in sculpture. The choir is considered handsome, and the gothic tabernacle work over the stalls is carved in a light and elegant manner. The arches in the galleries are divided by slender pillars of admirable conformation."
His Lordship then came to the bishop's throne, which he pointed out as standing on a stone base; and he observed that the form was an oblong square, or parallelogram, which was remarkable for its sculpture, each side being richly ornamented with gothic carvings, with arches and pinnacles. Around the upper part of the canopy stands a range of little images, designed to represent the kings and saints of the Mercian kingdom. The party now advanced to the chancel, where there are four stone stalls for the officiating priests, richly ornamented above with carved gothic work. The duchess and Lady Adelaide particularly admired the magnificent piece of tapestry which adorns the altar; it represents Elmias the sorcerer struck blind by Saint Paul. The design is taken from one of the cartoons of Raffaelle, and the execution is truly admirable.
The bishop and his noble guests returned to the palace, where a magnificent dinner was prepared for them, and the bishop entertained Sir Patricius Placebo, so soon as the ladies retired, with "A brief and succinct account," as his lordship termed it, "of the ecclesiastical state of the ancient city of Chester." But as two flasks of old Burgundy disappeared during the narration, we are somewhat apprehensive that it would prove rather heavy on our reader's hands, and therefore we shall in toto decline the discussion.
The duchess and her family having very pleasantly passed a week at the palace, now prepared for their regretted departure, and next sadly to bid an affectionate farewell. Mrs. Cartwright obtained a promise from the duchess of writing to her as soon as her Grace should reach either Amiens or Lille. They proceeded to the town of Tarporly, and thence to Wrexam, where they stopped to change horses and to take some refreshment.
Wrexam is the largest town in North Wales, and its parish the most numerous; it is the principal town of Denbighshire. Struck by the beauty and airy lightness of the lofty tower of Wrexam church, the duchess and Lady Adelaide resolved, while the necessary operations at the inn were going forward, to wend their way to visit this fine gothic pile; and Sir Patricius, "albeit," as he said himself pleasantly enough upon the occasion, "although he was much more addicted, he must needs confess, to the memento vivere than the memento mori" yet, nevertheless, right gallantly esquired the ladies.
"The church of Wrexam is the glory not only of the place, but of North Wales." The inside of the church is very spacious, and consists of a nave, two aisles, and a chancel. Much grotesque carving surmounts the capitals of the various pillars in the nave, and within the arches are placed many armorial bearings of the ancient British and Saxon princes. Many of the monuments which adorn the nave and the aisles are admirably designed, and the sculpture exceedingly fine. The epitaphs are numerous and curious: many a "hic jacet Ap-Howel—Ap-Morgan—Ap-Jhones," may be found in the church and in the church-yard. On the outside of the church is placed a great variety of ludicrous and grotesque sculpture. The steeple is an extremely handsome tower, richly ornamented on three sides with rows of saints placed in rich gothic niches. Among the group is that of Saint Giles, the patron saint of the church, with the hind that so miraculously nourished him in the desert, as monkish legends tell. At every angle of the church tower is a light turret, with a winding stair-case, twenty-four feet high. The entire height of the church tower, which is seen to a considerable distance, is one hundred and twenty-five feet. The church was built in the reign of Henry VIII., and is in the florid style of gothic architecture.
Know, gentle reader, that there occurred a little incident in Wrexam church, which must needs have the additament of being known unto thee. When the noble travellers entered the nave they were much struck by beholding a robin perched upon a brass chandelier, which was suspended from the ceiling in the nave, opposite to the reading-desk. The minister was engaged in reading the Psalms, the clerk the responses; and the robin expanding his wings, and straining his little throat, as if to overpower and surpass their voices conjoined. The congregation consisted of but three elderly ladies. It was of a week day, to which circumstance, in all probability, was to be attributed the paucity of the congregation.
This little occurrence produced the following lines from the pen of Lady Adelaide:—